Riveting machine



June 29, 1937. F. A. HOWARD RIVETING MACHINE Filed April 18, 1956 3 `Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY Jun 29, 1937. F. A. HOWARD f 2,085,659

RIVETING MACHINE Filed April 18, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY June 29, 1937. F A, HOWARD 2,085,659

RIVETING MACHINE Filed April 18, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 W E f 54, Lne (s/Meda la f" ATTORNEY Patented June 29, 1937 UNITED STATI-:s

PATENT orricr.

RIVETING MACHINE ,Fred A. Howard, Kenmore, Y. Y VApplicatie April is, 1936, serial No. Y75,161

ioplaims. (c1. 21S- 2) My invention relates to pneumatic Yriveting machines of theportable type and more particularly to improvements in rivet feeding and setting mechanism therefor. i

i i The principal object of my invention is to provide an eflcient machine of this character which is adapted to drive various'types and sizes of rivets with greater speed than riveting machines of commerce Ywithout damage to the rivets such i l() as ffrequentlyoccurs` in present day machines,

`for instance, burning the rivets, driving them sideways, i splitting 9 or 'marking the 'heads thereof, and without necessitating adjustment of the;

hammer mechanism when `changing from rivets l5 of one size tov another.

Another object is to provide improved means for feeding and setting rivets of various sizes relative to the driver of a pneumatic hammer.

` Still another object is to provide improved `setting means for the rivets adapted to release the rivets under control of the hammer mechanism so thatV they are freed while being drivenY theretby obviatingbur'ning or other injury from fric- Other and subordinateobjects together with the advantages ofi my improvements will` be readily understood fwh'en'the following description andY claims are read with reference to the L accomi Figure 5 is afra'gmentary viewfpartly in vertical section taken on theline 5 5 of Figure 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrovvs`,.`

i i Figure 6 is a'detailviewin transversesection taken on the'lineE-f--S'of Figure 2 looking in the ,directionindicated by the arrows and drawnrto an enlarged scale.

` afeed hopper anddistribnting means With which Figurel'- is a similar View taken on the line '1 -'l of` Figure AZylooking in the direction indicated b-y i FigureS is af detail View-'in top plan of a p-air of rivetholdngjjaws with which the machine is equippe'dy'and i f l.

3 is a viewof the riveting machine in top by a wing -nut 28,.

Figure 9 is a viewin side `elevation of oneof .said jaws.`

Describing my invention indetail with reference to the accompanying drawings, the numeral lgdesignates generally the hammer mechanism of the machine. Since the details of the hammer `mechanism per `se form no part `of the present invention, said mechanism has merely been illustrated conventionally in the drawings. Suflice it to explain that said mechanism includes the usual housing cylinder 2 having a handle `3.

4The piston or plunger is indicated at 4, the driver or punch at 5 and theair trigger at 6. The pistorrorl plunger 4, as will be understood, is pneumatically driven but the `air connections to the.Y

casingi2 have not been shown since they are not necessary to a proper understanding of the invention.

` Coming now to my novel improvements, secured to lugs 1 `on the housing 2 as by screw bolts 8 toextendlongitudinally of the housing is a rivet ,feeding chute 9ycomprising a pair of plates Il) "and alaterallyspacedside plate ll extending slightly abovesaid housing. At its lower end the chute 9 inclines toward the driving punchV 5 to a point adjacent the same and is provided with rearwardly disposed extensions I2 on the .plates f0.1 Liners or adapter strips I3 corresponding in shape to the chute are removably secured to the plates IU to provide a channel I4 substantially T-shapedin cross section for a puru pose presently clear. i

Surmounting the upper `end of the chute 9 is a supply hopper I 5 secured to said chute by means of a plate I`6 bolted to the chute as at l'l and to wthehopper `as at HLy The hopper I5 comprises a `supply receptacle I S having a hinged cover 20 .and a cylindrical casing 2l opposed to the hopper and open at its side opposite the latter. Ahopper is provided with a sleeve 22 extending The from one wall thereof axially of the casing 2l `and in which is rotatably mounted a stud 23 -having a collar 24 thereon bearing against one end of said sleeve.

At oneend the stud 23 is journaled as at `25 in a bracket 25' for rotation y therein. The end 2x5 of the stud may be threaded or otherwise mounted in the stud 23. A frustoconicaldistributor Wheel 26 is rotatably mounted in the casing 2 I. Said wheel is provided with a series-of radially disposed slots 2l arranged on theV surface thereof and a cylindrical part 28 into Y whichA said slots open, journaled on the stud 23 and adapted to be clamped against the collar 24 The bracket 25 is slidably mounted asby slot and pin connection 29 and 3l) on the wall of the hopper I and urged by a spring 3| against the stud 23 to act as a friction brake. The arrangement of the slots 2'I of the distributor wheel 26 is such that upon rotation 5 of said wheel rivets will be taken from the hopper and the shanks thereof disposed in said slots and dropped into the upper and open end 32 of the chute 9 with their heads in the channel I4. Said wheel 26 being clamped against the collar 24 by the wing nut 28, by turning said nut thewheel may be rotated as desired.

Located at a suitable point above the bottom end of the chute 9 is an escapement feed device 33 pivotally mounted as at 34 on the front Wall l5 of the chute for oscillating movement and comprising upper and lower arms 35 and-36, respectively, adapted to play in slots 3'I in the side walls II of the chute 9. A suitably arranged spring 38 tensions the escapement feed device 33 so 'that the upper of said arms normally intercepts the passage lof the rivet down said channel I4.

Pivotally mounted upon the front wall of the chute 9 as at 39 is an escapement rocking lever 40' the forward end of which underlies the piston 4 and the other end of which underliesV one side of said device 33.

At the lower inclined end of the chute is a pair of opposed rivet holding jaws 4I mounted upon resilient arms 42 suitably secured to the lower end of the chute 9 for relative separative movement of the jaws 4I laterally. The jaws 4I are constructed so that in their normal position they form a funnel shaped socket 43 beneath the punch 5 slightly larger at its mouth than said punch. The socket 43 is provided with a transverse groove 44 forming a continuation of the channel I4 and designed to receive the head of the rivet discharged from said channel.

Mounted between the extensions I2 of the plates IU is a reciprocating rivet holding and releasing arm 45 the forward end of which is designed to underlie the head of the rivet located between the jaws 4I to clamp the rivet in said socket and release it at the proper time. Preferably the arm 45 is mounted upon a stud 46 and slotted arcuately as at 4'I and its rear end is guided during reciprocatory movement by a pin 48 thereon 'passing through a straight slot 49 in one of the exten- 'sions I2. The arrangement of the slots 4'I, 49 and the studs 46 and 48 is such that the arm will be advanced forwardly and downwardly as will be clear. Pivotally mounted upon the pivot 39 of the escapement operating lever is an arm operating lever 49a) operatively connected to the rear end of the holding arm by a compensating pin and slot connection 48 and 5I, respectively, and having one end underlying the piston 4. A helical spring 52 having its opposite ends connected to said lever and to said extension asat 53 and 54, respectively, normally urges the lever and arm into an advanced rivet holding position. The arm 45 is designed to be latched in retracted position and for this purpose is provided with a right angled rear end 55 cooperating with a latch 56 pivoted as at 56' between the extensions I2 and tensioned by a spring 58 so that it is normally in the path of movement of the end 55. Associated with the latch 56 is a latch releasing lever 59 pivotally mounted as at 60 upon a bracket 6I suitably secured to one of the extensions I2. The latch releasing lever 59 comprises a latch releasing arm 62 adapted to be swung against said latch tomove the same against the urge of the spring 58 and a manually manipulative end 63 extending adjacent tothe air trigger 6.

Referring now to the operation of my invention, the rivets dropped into the chute 9 by the distributor Wheel 26 in the maner previously described are intercepted by the escapement feed device 33. The arm 45 when starting the machine is latched in retracted position and the escapement feed device is manually rocked once under which operation a rivet escapes into the socket 44. The latch releasing arm is then operated to permit the advance of the arm 45 to rivet holding position and the rivet placed in the hole. The air trigger 6 is now operated. Immediately following operation of the trigger the arm 45 is retracted to release the rivet and latched in retracted position. The driving punch 5 enters the socket 44 and the jaws 4I are separated laterally by the punch 5 to release the rivet. During this separative action the escapement device has been cocked by the operation of the lever 4D by the piston 4 for operation under the action of the spring 38 to permit another rivet to descend into the socket 44. Upon simultaneous operation of the air trigger 6 and latch releasing lever 59 the foregoing operations are repeated.

By removing the liner or adapter strips I3 and substituting others of different gauge therefor larger or smaller rivets may be handled as desired. The entire chute 9 and hopper I5 may be detached from the position shown and attached to said housing on the other side thereof on lugs 64 provided on the other side of the housing for that purpose for left-hand work. Under these conditions the latch releasing lever 63 is reversed and attached to a lug 64' on the opposite side of the chute 9.

The foregoing is a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of my invention, but it is to be understood that right is herein reserved to changes and modifications in the details and relation of parts described falling within the scope of thev protection prayed.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a driving punch, of means for feeding rivets to a position in axial alignment with said punch and holding said rivets in such position, and including a pair of cooperating rivet holding jaws relatively separable laterally under the action of said punch and releasable holding means engaging between said jaws.

.2. I'n a machine of the class described, the combination with a piston and a driving punch, of means for feeding rivets to a position in axial alignment with said punch and holding said rivets in such position and including a pair of cooperating rivet holding jaws relatively separable laterally under the action of said punch, and means for holding the rivets in said jaws movable to releasing position by said piston prior to separation of said jaws.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a driving punch, of means for feeding rivets to a position in axial alignment with said punch and holding said rivets in such position and including a pair of cooperating rivet holding jaws relatively separable laterally to release the rivets as an incident to operation of said punch, and releasable rivet holding means engaging between said jaws.

4. In a machine of the class described, the

` combination with a piston and a driving punch,

of means for feeding rivets to a position in axial alignment with said punch and holding said rivets in such position and comprising, a gravity feed chute, a pair of cooperating rivetv holding IlA jaws for receiving the rivets from said chute therebetween and relatively separable under the action of said punch to free said rivets, and means to hold the rivets in said jaws comprising a holding arm operative to releasing position by the piston.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a piston and a driving punch, of means for feeding rivets to a position in axial alignment with said punch and holding said rivets in such position and comprising, a gravity feed chute, a pair of cooperating rivet holding jaws for receiving the rivets from said chute therebetween and relatively separable under the action of said punch to free said rivets, means to hold the rivets in said jaws comprising a holding arm operative to releasing position by the piston, and

a latch for holding said arm in releasing position. Y

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination Vwith a piston, and a driving punch, of means for feeding rivets to a position in axial alignment with said punch and holding said rivets in such position and comprising, a gravity feed chute, a pair of cooperating rivet holding jaws for receiving the rivets from said chute therebetween and relatively separable under the action of said punch to free said rivets, and means to hold the rivets in said jaws and comprising a holding arm tensioned for movement to effective position and movable to lineffective position under control of said piston, a latch for holding said arm in ineffective position, and manipulative means for rendering the latch ineffective at will.

7. In a machine ofthe class described, the

`combination with a piston, and a driving punch,

of meansfor feeding rivets to a position in axial of said positions and movable to the other position under .control of said piston, a latch for holding the arm in one of said positions, and manipulative means for rendering the latch ineffective at will.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a piston, a driving punch, and a trigger arm, of means for feeding rivets to a position in axial alignment with said punch and holding said rivets in such position and comprising, a pair of rivet holding jaws having relative separating movement as an incident to operation of said punch, means to hold the rivets in said jaws comprising a holding arm disposed between the jaws and movable to effective and ineffective positions, respectively, said arm being tensioned for movement to one of said positions and movable to the other position under control of said piston, a latch for holding the arm in one of said positions, and a latch releasing lever extending to a point adjacent the trigger arm for operation by the latter.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a punch, and a piston, of means for feeding rivets to a position in axial alignment with said punch and comprising, a gravity feed chute, an escapement device adapted to intercept the passage of the rivets through said chute and comprising a toothed plate extending into said chute and mounted for oscillating movement A under control of said piston, and. means connected to said escapement device and in the path of the movement of said piston to thereby operate said escapement device.

10. In a machine of the class described, the i combination with a punch, and a piston, of means `for feeding rivets to a position in axial alignment 

